Wait? It’s Friday? How did this happen? I really had no idea it was Friday until I got up this morning and my mother and sister were so excited it was jeans day! Just goes to show you time flies when you are having too much fun. (Not all fun, my school schedule hates me and I can barely get anything done during the day.)  I’m hoping for more of an interesting and fun week of school next week, I like things that are out of the ordinary and make the week fly by so I can crash on the couch and not get up until Monday. By the way, anybody see the new Teaching Music Magazine for this month?? I’m in it and so excited!!

 When I first started teaching I had only my college professors, my student teaching co-ops, and my colleagues to rely on for advice and motivation through my beginning years. It was really a “lost feeling” because I could email, maybe call, but if I needed an answer asap then I was pure out of luck. Sometimes, I received advice but it couldn’t work in my situation so I had to get creative on my own. That’s when I started to seek out advice past what I knew. I wanted a bigger circle, a circle that was fit with the right people and came from all walks of life, that’s when I found the MPLN (Music Personal Learning Network). Found on Twitter, Facebook, and even Google Plus the MPLN is the ultimate group of thousands of music educators who have banded together in order to support each other and stand up for music in our schools. I have been apart of this great group for so long many of them have become dear friends and the best mentors as I continue my 4th year of teaching.

  The MPLN over the years has:

• provided almost instant support and feedback on problems I encounter and help guide me through and motivate me to be positive and keep my big mouth quiet when I need to.
• been an amazing critic to my harebrained ideas, I can get quite crazy with my thinking and my PLN friends help me think through it.
• given me someone to talk to during my lonely days hiding in my music classroom cave unable to leave because of my schedule.
• given me creative ideas for amazing projects.
• let me share what I do, and feel humbled and blessed by so many positive comments about my work.
• given me opportunities not many other educators receive, especially with presenting at a national level at such a young age.
• finally given me a strong passion for something that I want to spend the rest of my life doing.
• made me laugh and smile.
• shown people here at home that I am more, and I can stand tall.
• finally, given me a platform for a strong voice for music education and music technology. I am still years away from hitting 30 and because of my PLN I have met amazing people. presented on a national level, have started to collaborate with top-notch companies like Joytunes and Quaver Music, and most of all, been able to speak up and actually be heard. I’ve spent years of my life not having that, having a PLN has given me confidence to say what I need to say and be confident in it.

     Don’t have a PLN yet? What’s your excuse?

Follow me on Twitter at: @musiccargirl14 and start following the #mused and #musedchat hashtags

Search for the Music Teachers Facebook group and join in the conversations with thousands of other members

Or head on over to Google Plus and request to join the Music Education Community! https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/102610005911356159206

 Start in the conversations and band together with all of us!